| Sunday, 17 November 2024 |
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Good morning [%first_name |Dear Reader%],
When we asked our subscribers for their thoughts and ideas on gifting, we didn’t set boundaries or offer multiple choices they had to select from. We asked mostly open-ended questions because we wanted to discover what our subscribers really thought.
But…
But after having gone through nearly 500 responses, and each one containing multiple gift ideas and thoughts, we realised that we would need to set some constraints on ourselves while presenting the Gifting Guide.
We set down some rules so that the list doesn’t sound too privileged and snobbish.
So, no luxury hotels and spas. No fancy restaurants. No Swiss watches.
We also eliminated things that could not be bought easily in India.
So, no concert tickets. No products not officially released in India (e.g. Amazon’s new Kindle tablets).
This is a gifting edition. We’re trying to figure out interesting and real gifts, not wealth creation opportunities.
So, no cash cards or gift coupons. No stocks, fixed bank deposits, or mutual funds.
Lastly, some important points about our ethics with this list.
1. The list was compiled entirely based on recommendations sent in by subscribers via our Gifting Survey, period. We did not solicit or communicate with any of the brands or retailers we’ve mentioned or linked to.
2. That means there are no referrals and no commissions. While we hope you like and buy some of the products recommended, we’re not financially incentivised to hope you do so.
3. Most products today can be bought from various platforms. Please use your own judgement on where you want to buy from. Our recommendations are only to provide some convenience to you.
4. We’ve defaulted to Amazon India for most book recommendations. We encourage you to buy the same books from your favourite seller or bookshop.
5. Since discounts often change, we’ve quoted maximum retail prices for reference in most places. Which means you should find most things cheaper online.
6. All text within quotes are verbatim from our subscribers.
7. The Ken’s edit notes are marked separately.
Without further ado, here is…
And if you are in the mood for it, a few…
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Hari Buggana
Chairman and MD, InvAscent
Transparent, Honest, Detailed. To me, The Ken has been this since the day I subscribed to them. The research that they put into each story and the way it is presented is thoroughly interesting. Personally, I’ve always had a great time interacting with the publication and reading the stories.
Harshil Mathur
CEO and Co-Founder, Razorpay
The Ken has proven naysayers wrong by successfully running a digital news publication on a pure-subscription business model in India. They have shown that discerning readers are willing to pay for well-researched, well-written, in-dept news articles.
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw
Executive Chairperson, Biocon Limited
As a designer, it’s easy to get lost in the craft of building products. As a business owner however, keeping up with a rapidly changing landscape is key to saying relevant. The Ken doesn’t just help me stay on top of what’s happening in India(and beyond), but makes it fun to do so.
Rahul Gonsalves
Co-founder and CEO, Obvious Ventures